


DAISY!

by MarcoFro5



Series: Silly Little Words [2]
Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarcoFro5/pseuds/MarcoFro5
Summary: A collection of snips about the best Mario princess.
Series: Silly Little Words [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042617
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

There was still fight left in her when the siren blared in the stadium. That fire inside her didn’t just die when the clock hit zero. It was like the rug was pulled out from under her, the momentum from playing still pushing her forward with each step down the field even though the game was over. Daisy lost and it was her fault, shoulders getting heavy enough now that her hands went to her knees.

Three seconds, each counted hard in her head. The first was spent clenching her fists tight enough they hurt. The second wasted on catching her breath after sprinting all over the field today. And the last was spent plastering a smile on her face for the fans who spent who knows how much to make it out here today.

Peach’s team was celebrating, she and her Toads all grouped up with her Kritter at their goal. Daisy felt the stare of the cameras on her, waiting to catch her reaction and broadcast it across Sarasaland. The crown was on her head at all times and it made her stand straighter even though she wanted to scream.

The media labeled her outbursts as tantrums, her emotion as a problem. The same confidence that sold Mario’s jerseys and gave Luigi his sponsors only earned her criticism and disappointed looks. All because her hair went past her shoulders and her shorts didn’t fit her funny. They wanted her to be good enough but not her best, no matter how desperately she wished those two things were one and the same. Instead, she was made to feel so small only for them to turn around tomorrow and say this moment was too big for her.

She built this team from the ground up, fronted the cost herself when her kingdom wouldn’t back her up, and even resisted the urge to shove each win in the council’s face. They wouldn’t waste time bringing this loss up in the next meeting, season over and future uncertain. 

The crowd’s roars pierced through her thoughts and she realized her hands were still twisted into fists. They loosened, the rest of her body following suit as she stared up at the rows and rows of fans.The stadium was packed with fans from around Sarasaland’s many kingdoms and their chants were hardly unified. When had they ever been this excited? They had endured years of hurt and she wished she could heal them of that. Still, she’d given them a reason to wear Sarasaland’s colors with pride and leave their homes without worry.

“Hey!” she shouted at one of her Hammer Bros already heading to the locker room. “We’re done when we’re done!”

She punctuated it with a head jerk towards her goal and he reluctantly turned back around. Her walk became a jog, pace quickening with each step down the field. Daisy was just one person, but one person could bring in four others and suddenly it was a team. She nudged a Shy Guy on the way who was carefully using a long sleeve to wipe his face underneath his mask, flashing him a smile and walking backwards until he followed her. It was a full on run now, cameras lined up on the sidelines now jerking to follow her. 

It was just one team, playing a game that meant so little. But that silly little game gave hope. Her run was displayed on the big screen and the fans in the stadium couldn’t decide if they wanted to watch her on the screen or on the field. 

Hope filled this stadium, all of Sarasaland coming together under one roof. She planted her feet in front of goal and jumped, knees crying out after carrying her through a tough game. The crowd quieted once she landed on top of the crossbar and she felt herself slipping. Boo materialized next to her, nudging her forward enough that she could get her balance. Daisy was just one person. And these were her people.

“Thank you for coming out!” she screamed, voice shrill because that’s just how it sounded.

Daisy bowed, praying Boo would be there to catch her if she fell. She didn’t. Instead, she saw her team doing the same behind her, giving thanks to the fans for making the trip and supporting them. The crowd cheered and she stood up, waving both hands to them while tears stung the corner of her eyes.

She wouldn’t stop until all of Sarasaland could end their day with their heads held high. Today wasn’t that day, but it was coming.


	2. Daisy Wants to Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Daisy goes to Mario and Peach’s wedding after he saved Sarasaland. She’s there with her suitor and others from Sarasaland during her first time in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Daisy was a stranger in a strange land, the back of her spoon slapping the spongy triangle on her plate. She’d read plenty about weddings before this trip to the Mushroom Kingdom, but the dusty old books in her castle’s library only showed pictures of cakes still intact like the massive one they hauled out a few minutes ago. The others at her table looked similarly puzzled, testing the dessert. Chief Vizier Falkrit, usually composed, now had his feathers ruffled and tested the cake with a few pokes.

“It’s not going to bite back, Fal,” Daisy said with a chuckle.

She turned to her boyfriend and he must not have heard her joke, Prince Khafre’s face focused under the ornate headdress of gold and jewels. With a knife he carved at the layers in the slice of cake, separating sponge from icing and icing from sponge. Daisy watched in amusement as he picked up a slice of sponge with ring-adorned paws and dipped it into the icing before taking a bite. It made her want to playfully smoosh it into his face, just like Mario had done to Princess Peach earlier. 

Others at the table followed suit, copying his motions. Still, she had the feeling he wasn’t doing this right, although she could never say as much. They’d been entangled for a few months now and she will knew just how painfully proud Khafre could be. With her spoon, Daisy carved into the cake until she had equal parts sponge and icing, stuffing it into her mouth. 

She expected something chewy and tough and was delighted to find it airy and sweet. Desserts in Sarasaland were usually snapped and dipped, hard and crunchy to the point that you could tell its deliciousness by the crackling sounds made when eating it. 

“Mmh!” Daisy hummed, quickly scooping more onto her spoon and holding it out for Khafre to try. “Babe, try mine, it’s delicious!” 

“They are all the same,” he said, knife still carving. 

“Yes,” she agreed. “But mine comes from my heart, which makes it taste that much sweeter.”

She nudged the spoonful closer and he shot her a look, cold enough to send a shiver through her. Kifrit saw, along with her other advisors at the table. None spoke up, instead continuing to eat their cake like Khafre did. With a flick of her wrist, the spoon faced her once more and she ate the bite herself. 

“More for me then,” she said, feigning a smile and easing the tension of the others. 

It’s what a Princess did, putting others before herself. She ventured a look across the ballroom, spotting Princess Peach embracing her bridesmaids. . Mario soon joined her and it was clear how her mood lifted, smile widening in laughter. Daisy and Khafre would be like that before the year was up, married and happy. Things were just tense now, that was all. Their union would be a bit more formal than this, sure, but she would be so very happy then. Together, they would unite all of Sarasaland after all of the terrible things that happened.

Khafre would be happier once they were back in Sarasaland. It took strength for him to be here today considering the resentment he had towards Mario for rescuing their nation and defeating his mind-controlled father in combat. Her father had set up the eventual marriage between her and Khafre soon after that, an alliance between her and the Prince of Birabuto Kingdom that would strengthen Sarasaland for years and years. Khafre would be happier, Daisy convinced herself, eyes still glued at the very happy couple. He’d be happier. 

The night waned on, music slowing and strobe lights less intense. Toads in tuxedos came by the table and whisked away the saucers once they were done with their desserts. Daisy leaned on Khafre, head finding a nice spot between his chin and shoulder like it was made to accommodate her. He didn’t shrug her off, her crown resting on his golden headdress. They were far from similar, his body a bit bulkier and rougher around the edges with a personality to match. But opposites attract, even if the attraction between them took time to spark. Daisy could fall asleep like this, had fallen asleep like this, nestled into his hard neck.

The music shifted and so did her mood, Daisy snapping up to sit upright in her seat. String instruments were still present, but Daisy could tell that they were plucked rather than strummed. Her heart swelled at the sound of the Sarasa harp playing through the room, nostalgia and excitement reverberating through her body. No one at her table had gotten up to make a request, yet her late mother’s favorite song was playing. It felt weird, selfish even, to hear this song on a night not meant for her. But a look at the dance floor confirmed that others were enjoying this moment.

“Let’s dance,” she told Khafre, quickly folding the thick napkin in her lap.

“No.”

“Come on,” she said. “There’s no need to be shy.”

Her attention was on Mario and Princess Peach on the dance floor, their steps practiced and smiles wide.

“I’m not shy,” Khafre said. “I do not dance.”

Daisy reached for his hand, trying to interlock her fingers in his to pull him out of his chair. There was no wiggle room between thick fingers, his hand not accepting hers.

“Khafre, please,” she said, the sound of her voice swallowed up. “We haven’t stood up since we sat down and it's Blossom in the Castle. I have to go out there.”

“Then do so alone.”

“It’s a partners dance, Young Prince,” Falkrit said, offering wobbly support for her. 

“If it’s because you don’t know it, that’s fine, I can teach you!” Daisy rambled, standing up from her seat. “It will have to be a rushed lesson but-“

“I said no!” Khafre shouted. 

Heads turned, embarrassment hot on her skin. Daisy tried playing it off with a laugh and the sound got stuck in her throat, strangled and tight. She wanted to give him some shouts of her own and remind him and Falkrit that he wasn’t Prince just yet, but she feared it would come out garbled and whiny. Sprinting to the bathroom came with its own consequences. Some at the table would make half-hearted attempts to retrieve her, the others would simply roll their eyes behind her back. Still, it all sounded better than just standing frozen in place. Her feet wouldn’t budge and even her breaths felt locked away in her chest.

“I-I-I-I couldn’t help but overhear…”

The shaky words were accompanied by a poke on her shoulder. Daisy turned and saw a beanpole of a man dressed in a tuxedo. The best man of the wedding, whose name escaped her despite the research she put in to avoid this exact scenario. She felt shame on top of her existing layer of it, realizing he must’ve made his way over to address the outburst. Yet, he looked more scared than anything.

“You said you could give lessons on this song?” He asked, his eyes downcast. His hair was neat in a way that suggested he’d done it himself, mustache similarly styled. His whole demeanor disarmed her in a way that made her shoulders feel slack in their socket.

“Everyone said I need to lead with the dancing as best man and I’ve been trying,” he continued, “but I’ve never heard this and everyone is buddied up already and I’m sort of alone out there and…”

He kept rambling and Daisy would’ve given anything for Khafre to react in that moment, to turn and tell him to beat and grab her hand and lead her onto the dance floor. Even if it was in spite or jealousy, she longed for that reaction. Any reaction at all. Instead, Khafre ignored the man with the big nose and gave her nothing. 

And he never would, Daisy realized.

She grabbed the best man by the arm and led him to the center of the dance floor, Falkrit’s feeble protests left behind her. Daisy’s hand climbed to his shoulder, squeezing it tight. He looked lost, face red and eyes darting around like a plane searching for a landing strip. She guided him, moving his right hand to the center of her back. It was only when they were settled in that she actually got a good look at him, faces less than a foot apart. His eyes were like the sky, blue and wide open.

“Hi, I’m Daisy.”

“L-Luigi,” he responded. 

There was an awkward silence. This was like holding onto a blender, Luigi’s shaking spreading to her own body. His eyes were down at his shoes as Daisy eased them into the rhythm of the music. It had been awhile since she danced to this song, yet the movement came as easy as walking. Her pace quickened and then halted to a stop as Luigi stepped on her toes. 

“Sorry!” he yelped, as if he was the one who’d just been hurt.

“It’s okay, just chin up,” Daisy said.

Luigi quickly nodded but his eyes continued their staring match with the dance floor. She laughed a little, her hand on his shoulder moving to physically lift his chin up until he was looking at her.

“Chin up,” she said, returning her hand to its proper place. “Move with me, and don’t get in your own way.”

He seemed to take her advice, which kind of surprised her. It was weird trying to guide him as the follow. Each of her steps were like sliding chess pieces to nudge him into making the next move. If only she could get him to relax some. His shoulder was like a tight ball of rubber bands in her grip and she could feel the sweat on the palm that seemed too scared to actually hold her.

“I liked your toast,” Daisy said, trying to take his mind off making each step.

“You did?”

“Of course!” she said, meaning it. “The part about the Goomba was hilarious, I couldn’t stop laughing.”

He smiled and Daisy’s body became weightless for just a moment. Luigi’s smile was like a cookie fresh out the oven, warm, sweet, and gone all too quickly. She was the one who slipped up, missing a step and tripping over his feet. He caught her, that hand on the small of her back suddenly becoming as hard as concrete to support her and make sure she didn’t fall.

“Sorry,” he said, even though Daisy didn’t know what he was apologizing for. 

He helped her back upright. That airy and warm sensation still swept inside her as she tried to get back in the rhythm of the song. It didn’t take her long, but it was like starting from square one with Luigi, who was already back to acting like a nervous wreck.

“We should switch spots,” she suggested, already moving her hand down to his back.

He didn’t challenge her or object or make up some dumb excuse not to do it. He just did it and she really didn’t expect how happy that made her. Luigi’s sweaty hand moved to her shoulder as she took full lead during the song’s climax, pulling him closer to her and picking up the pace.

She couldn’t hide her smile as Luigi followed her steps, his feet moving in step with hers. The playing of the harp in the song intensified, letting Daisy know her favorite part was coming up next. Despite everything, tears still stung the corners of her eyes as the harp played. Daisy couldn’t help but hear her mother’s laughter hidden in the music, her head suddenly filled with blurry memories of being tucked in bed and begging her mother to play it just one more time. The harp stopped like its strings were cut and Daisy released her hold on Luigi. He let go of her soon after and she only had a moment to explain what came next.

“Three claps to the left, three claps to the left and then, uh, just go limp and I’ll handle the rest,” she said, bouncing on the spot.

“Go limp?” he asked, eyes wide like she’d threatened him.

“Yep!”

And just like that, the sistrum made its presence known, the clatter of metal on metal flooding the dance floor. Daisy clapped to her left and giggled as Luigi got his lefts and rights mixed up for a second. He got it right on the second try and with the clapping done, she closed the distance and wrapped his hands in hers. He felt like clay in her grasp and she moved him with ease.

“Two steps back,” she whispered, pushing him forward and making him backtrack. “Now, three steps forward.”

Daisy pulled him now, alternating footsteps to give him room for his steps forward. This was going much easier than she expected considering she’d never led before.

“Okay, now spin!”

“Wait, what? No, no, no, no, no.”

Daisy released one hand and rose the other high in the air, doing a loopedy-loop motion with her wrist. Luigi spun like a top and Daisy spotted a few others on the dance floor looking their way. She caught his other hand to stop him and he sort of wobbled a bit. Daisy moved before he fully caught his balance, sparing him instruction and just yanking him this way and that. 

Slide left, slide right, pull in close… his nose bonked hers and he burst into frantic apologies. Daisy’s laughter was a roar now as she let go of one hand to flourish before grabbing it again. 

He handled the second spin much better and there was his smile again, making her feel as light as a feather. The song reached its final leg and she relished watching him try to keep pace with her. Hands together like glue, they stomped and rocked before shaking their hips and shimmying their shoulders. She brought him close into a hug and spun with him for the final go-around.

The music stopped and so did she, dipping Luigi low with ease. She was out of breath and the clapping from the crowd around them was muted compared to the heavy thrum in her chest. There wasn’t a rush to catch her breath as she held him, faces close enough that she prayed her breath wasn’t funky.

“Thanks,” they said at the same time, voices colliding into laughter after. 

The next song started and she yanked him up. It had a slow start and she recognized it from her research, although the name escaped her.

“You owe me a favor,” she said, squeezing intertwined fingers.”

“I do,” he said, not pulling away.

“I don’t know this song,” she lied. “Mind teaching me the steps?”

He nodded and nervously set his feet in the right spots before pulling her close. She let him take lead on this one, feigning ignorance on where her hands should go until he rested her arm on top of his. Luigi cupped her shoulder blade and she had a firm hold on his lean bicep.

Her mind drifted as they rocked back and forth. It was selfish to ask for a second dance and Falkrit would give her an earful about it for sure. Khafre would… Khafre would do nothing. He’d bring this up to her father before confronting her about it. A problem for future Daisy, she supposed. 

Except this moment didn’t feel like a problem. It just felt different. Different in a way that didn’t scare her or worry her. Was this warmth that thrummed through her from head to toe what they meant by the heat of the moment? Maybe it was just from finally doing what she wanted for once. Or maybe it was something else, she thought, catching Luigi stealing a look at her eyes while hey danced. Whatever it was, she hoped it never ended.


End file.
